Virgil Hill
American |birth_date= |death_date= |birth_place=Clinton, Missouri |style=Orthodox |total=56 |wins=49 |KO=23 |losses=7 |draws=0 |no contests=0 }} Virgil Eugene Hill (born January 18, 1964) is a Hall of Fame American boxer of partly Native American heritage, who forged a solid connection between the state of North Dakota and the sport of boxing. After winning the silver medal at middleweight in the 1984 Olympic Games, he went on as a professional to make twenty successful defences of the WBA World Light-Heavyweight Championship between 1987 and 1996, also annexing the lineal and IBF titles toward the end of his reign. In 2000 he won the WBA World Cruiserweight Championship, losing it in his first defence. In 2006/07 he regained the WBA Cruiserweight Championship, again losing it in his first defence. Amateur career In 1984 Hill, then age 20, won a silver medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics representing the United States as a Middleweight in Los Angeles in a close decision loss in the 165-lb. final (the USA's only loss on decision in Los Angeles). His results were: *Defeated Edward Neblett RSC 2 *Defeated Brian Schumacher 5-0 *Defeated Damir Škaro 4-1 *Defeated Mohamed Zaoui 5-0 *Lost to Shin Joon-Sup 2-3 In addition, Hill was the 1984 National Golden Gloves champion at Middleweight . Professional career After going eighteen straight fights without a loss to start his pro career, 'Quicksilver' (his nickname) was a challenger to Leslie Stewart of Trinidad for the latter's WBA light heavyweight tile in September 1987 in Atlantic City. After an even match in the early going, Hill floored the defending title holder twice in the fourth round - first with a left hook and the second time with an uppercut - to take the title on a TKO win. A series of ten successful defenses followed, eight of which took place in Bismarck, North Dakota. Offers were being made for Hill to fight in Las Vegas and other cities, but Virgil chose the place of his 'roots' and 'hometown fans' to be the place of the majority of his defenses. Opponents in his first run as champion included Bobby Czyz, James Kinchen, Joe Lasisi, and Ramzi Hassan. Then superstar Thomas Hearns would meet - and defeat - Hill in Las Vegas by decision in June 1991 to end Hill's first reign as champion. After a couple of fights over the next year or so, it was Hill pitted against 1984 Olympic teammate Frank Tate in September 1992 for the vacant WBA 175-lb. title (the same title that Hearns won from Hill, but which was vacated after Iran Barkley dethroned Hearns afterward). It was a 'grudge match' between the two, and Hill won the decision (and the title) on his home turf of Bismarck. Another string of ten defenses would follow, including a rematch with Tate, a close decision over Lou Del Valle (who almost upset Hill), and a decision over IBF title holder Henry Maske to unify the belts, before German/Polish fighter & WBO title holder Dariusz Michalczewski scored a unanimous decision over Hill in June 1997 to unify the WBA, WBO & IBF titles. Hill continued to fight, including against Roy Jones Jr. the following year, and was stopped in four. It was then on to the cruiserweights for the aging Hill, and he won a title at age 36 - the WBA cruiserweight title - by knocking down Fabrice Tiozzo three times to win the title in Villeurbanne, France by TKO in the first. He made his first defense, also in France, against Jean-Marc Mormeck, but would lose both match and title on cuts after nine rounds. He then decisioned Donny Lalonde in July 2003 in a North Dakota-Manitoba 'border fight', but later lost a disputed decision to Mormeck in a title rematch in South Africa in May 2004. On Saturday January 27, 2006 Virgil Hill defeated previously undefeated Russian cruiserweight Valery Brudov by unanimous decision to win the 'regular' WBA World Cruiserweight championship. Despite being cut on the face in the sixth round, Hill was able to out hustle and out work his much younger opponent to capture his fifth world title at the age of 42. His next to last fight was held in Germany on March 31, 2007. He faced Henry Maske, whom Hill had beaten in 1996 to unify the WBA and IBF light heavyweight titles. Maske had announced his retirement prior to that fight and was frustrated to end his career with a loss, the only loss in his professional career. When he heard about Hill capturing the world title again at the age of 42, he decided to challenge him for a rematch. Hill lost the Maske rematch, then lost to Firat Arslan in a 12 round title bout. Hill worked with his wife, Carla Hill, for their first ever boxing card and promotion at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on July 16, 2011.http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/07/introducing-carla-hill-and-carla-hill-promotions/ Hall of Fame On November 12, 2012 he was officially inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Class of 2013. http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/63771/group/Sports/ Professional boxing record |- | style="text-align:center;" colspan="8"|'50 Wins' (23 KOs), 7 Losses (2 KOs)http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=479&cat=boxer |- style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;" | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Res.' | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Record' | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Opponent' | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Type' | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Round' | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Date' | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Location' | style="border-style:none none solid solid; "|'Notes' |- align=center | Loss | |align=left| Firat Arslan |UD |12 |24/11/2007 |align=left| Dresden, Sachsen, Germany | |- | Loss | |align=left| Henry Maske |UD |12 |31/03/2007 |align=left| Munich, Bayern, Germany | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Valery Brudov |UD |12 |27/01/2006 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |- align=center | Loss | |align=left| Jean-Marc Mormeck |UD |12 |22/05/2004 |align=left| Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa | |- | Win | |align=left| Donny Lalonde |UD |10 |05/07/2003 |align=left| Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |- | Win | |align=left| Joey DeGrandis |UD |12 |17/11/2002 |align=left| Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Carlos Bates |TKO |1 |23/08/2002 |align=left| New Town, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- align=center | Loss | |align=left| Jean-Marc Mormeck |RTD |8 |23/02/2002 |align=left| Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhone, France | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Fabrice Tiozzo |TKO |1 |09/12/2000 |align=left| Villeurbanne, Rhone, France | |- | Win | |align=left| Glenn Thomas |UD |10 |09/05/1999 |align=left| Minot, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| James Hayes |KO |2 |07/11/1998 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- | Loss | |align=left| Roy Jones, Jr. |KO |4 |25/04/1998 |align=left| Biloxi, Mississippi, United States | |- align=center | Loss | |align=left| Dariusz Michalczewski |UD |12 |13/06/1997 |align=left| Oberhausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Henry Maske |SD |12 |23/11/1996 |align=left| Munich, Bayern, Germany | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Lou Del Valle |UD |12 |20/04/1996 |align=left| Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Drake "Nightmare" Thadzi |UD |12 |02/09/1995 |align=left| Wembley, London, United Kingdom | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Crawford Ashley |UD |12 |01/04/1995 |align=left| Primm, Nevada, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Frank Tate |UD |12 |23/07/1994 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Guy Waters |UD |12 |17/12/1993 |align=left| Minot, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Saul Montana |TKO |10 |09/11/1993 |align=left| Fargo, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Sergio Daniel Merani |UD |12 |28/08/1993 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Fabrice Tiozzo |SD |12 |03/04/1993 |align=left| Levallois-Perret, Hauts-de-Seine, France | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Adolpho Washington |TD |11 |20/02/1993 |align=left| Fargo, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Frank Tate |UD |12 |29/09/1992 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Lottie Mwale |KO |4 |11/04/1992 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Aundrey Nelson |UD |10 |01/03/1992 |align=left| Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |- align=center | Loss | |align=left| Thomas Hearns |UD |12 |03/06/1991 |align=left| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Mike Peak |UD |12 |06/01/1991 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Frank Minton |TKO |9 |27/10/1990 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Tyrone Frazier |UD |12 |07/07/1990 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| David Vedder |UD |12 |25/02/1990 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| James Kinchen |TKO |1 |24/10/1989 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Joe Lasisi |TKO |7 |27/05/1989 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Bobby Czyz |UD |12 |04/03/1989 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Willie Featherstone |TKO |10 |11/11/1988 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Ramzi Hassan |UD |12 |06/06/1988 |align=left| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Jean-Marie Emebe |TKO |11 |03/04/1988 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Rufino Angulo |UD |12 |21/11/1987 |align=left| Bercy, France | |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Leslie Stewart |TKO |4 |05/09/1987 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |- | Win | |align=left| Junior Edmonds |UD |10 |19/07/1987 |align=left| Minot, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Marcos Geraldo |KO |2 |13/06/1987 |align=left| Lake Tahoe, Nevada, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Marvin Camel |KO |1 |01/05/1987 |align=left| Minot, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| James Williams |KO |4 |06/03/1987 |align=left| Fargo, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Clarence Osby |UD |12 |11/12/1986 |align=left| New York City, United States | |- | Win | |align=left| Eric Winbush |UD |10 |17/10/1986 |align=left| Bismarck, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Wayne Caplette |KO |1 |04/10/1986 |align=left| Williston, North Dakota, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Marcus Dorsey |KO |2 |14/08/1986 |align=left| Lynnwood, Washington, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Willie Mayberry |TKO |1 |02/08/1986 |align=left| Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Mike Sedillo |UD |10 |10/07/1986 |align=left| Inglewood, California, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Santiago Valdez |KO |1 |30/06/1986 |align=left| Everett, Washington, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Abdul Hakim |TKO |4 |30/04/1986 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| James "Hook" Williamson |TKO |6 |02/03/1986 |align=left| Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Fred "Air" Jordan |TKO |4 |22/01/1986 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| Dawud Shaw |UD |6 |13/07/1985 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| David Vedder |UD |6 |16/02/1985 |align=left| Reno, Nevada, United States |align=left| |- | Win | |align=left| John Tyrell |TKO |1 |05/01/1985 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |align=left| |- align=center | Win | |align=left| Arthur Wright |TKO |2 |15/11/1984 |align=left| New York City, United States | |} References External links * * Virgil Hill's Amateur Boxing Record *Carla and Virgil Hill's official promotional website Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:People from Henry County, Missouri Category:Boxers from Missouri Category:Boxers at the 1984 Summer Olympics Category:Cruiserweight boxers Category:International Boxing Federation champions Category:Light heavyweight boxers Category:Olympic boxers of the United States Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States Category:People from Bismarck, North Dakota Category:People from Grand Forks, North Dakota Category:People from Joplin, Missouri Category:World Boxing Association champions Category:Olympic medalists in boxing